Walgreens on Wednesday announced a tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap) vaccination voucher program, in collaboration with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, to help protect against pertussis (whooping cough).

In response to an executive order recently signed by Gov. John R. Kasich authorizing licensed pharmacists in Ohio to administer the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to patients, all of the more than 250 Walgreens pharmacies and 35 Healthcare Clinics at select Walgreens throughout Ohio are now offering MMR vaccinations daily with no appointment necessary.

After CVS Caremark was given the green light to open MinuteClinics in Rhode Island — with imposed conditions — the state’s Department of Health has now revised its ruling and dropped some key conditions.

Citing the need for a one-year transition period for states to implement the July average manufacturer price-based federal upper limits, or FULs, nine Senators are urging Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to consider the challenges that states will face when the final Medicaid AMP-based FULs are published.

Walgreens' new store format encouraging pharmacists to practice at the top of their license has passed muster with the Department of health and Human Services, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

As part of a realignment to "focus on wellness plans for major employers," SoloHealth founder Bart Foster has stepped down as CEO of the company to assume a new role as chief strategy officer, according to a report in the Atlanta Business Chronicle published Thursday.

Concurrent opioid prescribing by multiple providers is common in Medicare patients and is associated with higher rates of hospital admission related to opioid use, according to a study published last week in BMJ.

In July 2008, the Minnesota Department of Health began a two-year project aimed at addressing the rising oral healthcare crisis among at-risk children in the state. Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Oral Health Zone, or OHZ, project is a subproject of the state’s overall commitment to HRSA and CDC to develop for Minnesota a public oral health infrastructure.

The New York Department of Health on Monday announced that reported cases of influenza are increasing throughout New York, and flu activity in the state is now considered to be widespread, with laboratory-confirmed cases in more than half the regions.

As part of its continuing efforts to help communities affected by Hurricane Sandy, CVS/pharmacy has announced that it is waiving prescription co-payments, deductibles and other financial liability related to prescription medications for patients who cannot pay at selected stores in the hardest hit neighborhoods in New York City and surrounding communities.

Health warning labels on cigarette packages that use pictures to show the health consequences of smoking are effective in reaching adult smokers, according to the results of a new study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Rx Response, an initiative of America’s bio-pharmaceutical supply system to help ensure the continued flow of medicine to patients in a severe public health emergency, has continued its close coordination with federal, state and local government agencies to address impacts from Hurricane Sandy on the bio-pharmaceutical supply system, the organization announced Friday.

All drugs provided to HIV and AIDS patients under the District of Columbia's AIDS Drug Assistance Program will go through a new pharmacy network that includes Walgreens, the D.C. Department of Health said.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of healthcare providers, denying a request by the California Department of Health Care Services to suspend a preliminary injunction that currently is preventing the implementation of Medi-Cal cuts.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and California pharmacy groups have banded together to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to prevent the implementation of a state plan amendment — proposed by the California Department of Health Care Services — which they say would place significant limitations on access to pharmacy care and services for the state’s Medi-Cal patients.

Poll

Poll

SPECIAL REPORTS

Are we in the midst of a beauty revolution? Perhaps. It is no secret that the ever-changing beauty category is all about trends, but one could argue that we are embarking on an especially interesting time in beauty as technology is changing the way consumers shop and new innovations strive to break through the noise.

In this beauty report, Drug Store News takes a deeper dive into some of the leading trends that are reshaping beauty.more ...

IN THIS ISSUE

In this issue, DSN examines PricewaterhouseCoopers' "Top Health Industry Issues for 2015;" takes you on a tour of Murad, shares beauty trends and insights and delves into location-based technology and how it is revolutionizing health, retail.Click here to view the issue.